Impact of Billaea adelpha (Loew) (Diptera: Tachinidae) as a larval parasitoid of Prionus coriarius (L.) in Bulgaria

The impact of the dipteran larval parasitoid Billaea adelpha on cerambycid species Prionus coriarius was studied. Larvae of P. coriarius were reared from semi-decayed wood of dry stems of Carpinus betulus L. A high rate of parasitism of B. adelpha on the cerambycid larvae was observed. It varies from 57 to 100%, and the number of parasitoids per larva can reach up to 17. This study reports, for the first time in Bulgaria, the trophic association between Prionus coriarius and Carpinus betulus .